Family-friendly fun
Photograph courtesy of Zoo Atlanta
Boo at the Zoo
When: October 21 to 22, 28 to 29, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Zoo Atlanta
Cost: $17 to $23
Details: The annual festival brings the kid-friendly fun of Zoo Boo Town back with pumpkin carvings, train rides, storybook character meet-and-greets, an inflatable corn maze, and more. Watch as animals are fed their special Halloween treats, and don’t forget your costume!
Little 5 Points Halloween Festival & Parade
When: October 21, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Moreland and Euclid Avenues
Cost: Free
Details: The 17th annual festival features live entertainment, an artists’ market, and plenty of food and beer. The costume parade, which starts at 4 p.m. along Euclid Ave, is packed with zombies, fairies, and everything in between, attracting over 35,000 every year. Arrive early for a good spot.
Pumpkin Festival
When: Through October 29
Where: Stone Mountain Park
Cost: starting at $28
Details: The Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival offers kids’ favorites like inflatables, carnival rides, a pie-eating contest, and a pumpkin patch. At night, the storytellers guide families through the lantern-lit “Tour of Southern Ghosts” with new spooky stories each night.
Owl-O-Ween Hot Air Balloon Festival
When: October 27, 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.; October 28 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Where: Kennesaw State Sports and Entertainment Park
Cost: $14
Details: Enjoy breathtaking views from 2,000 feet above on a tethered balloon ride, or if you’d prefer to stay on the ground, this Kennesaw festival features seven stages of concerts, aerial performances, a costume catwalk contest, and much more.
Fernbank BOO-seum Trick or Treat
When: October 28, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Cost: from $16
Details: The Fernbank Museum hosts an afternoon of science-themed Halloween games, treats, a screening of the classic It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and of course, a costume contest.
Spooky shows
Photograph by BreeAnne Clowdus
The Sleepy Hollow Experience
When: Through November 5
Where: Serenbe Playhouse
Cost: starting at $25
Details: This adaptation by Brian Clowdus immerses the audience into the scare with this participatory theater production, complete with a headless horsemen sighting and live horses. Too creepy for little ones? There is also a daytime option for families.
Clubesque Halloween Show
When: October 31, 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Where: City Winery at Ponce City Market
Cost: $25 to 40
Details: Flashback to the disco days as City Winery turns into Studio 54 for a Halloween extravaganza. The evening, hosted by Atlanta drag queen Nicole Paige Brooks, features live music, dancing, drag performances, burlesque, aerialists, and contortionists. Arrive early for dinner beforehand to listen to local soul artist Macy Todd.
The Ghastly Dreadfuls
When: October 11 to October 28
Where: Center for Puppetry Arts
Cost: $25
Details: The Ghastly Dreadfuls rise from the grave to tell spooky stories and sing songs with their puppets. This undead jamboree features eight different types of puppetry styles and has become a local cult favorite.
Photograph by Tyler Ogburn Photography
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
When: October 19 to November 5
Where: Out Front Theatre Company
Cost: $15-$25
Details: Grab your best sequined frock and get ready to do the Time Warp Again alongside this live performance of the cult classic musical and holiday staple, performed by Atlanta’s new LGBTQ theater company, Out Front.
Big frights
Netherworld Haunted House
When: Through November 5
Where: 6624 Dawson Boulevard, Norcross
Cost: Starting at $23
Details: At their final year in the current location (expanding to Stone Mountain in 2018), Georgia’s most famous haunted house boasts two new attractions: Primal Scream, which is full of nature’s monsters, and Mr. Grendel’s 3-D Fun House of Horrors, open every night of the week.
Lawrenceville Ghost and Haunted Cemetery Tours
When: Through October 31
Where: Aurora Theatre
Cost: $20
Details: In the mood for a thrill that doesn’t involve someone in a silicon mask jumping out at you? Head to Lawrenceville for a nightime walk where you can listen to storytellers spin yarns of the paranormal while touring spooky spots like the old jail. Or opt for a guided tour of the cemetery to look for ghosts. Don’t forget a flashlight!
13 Stories Haunted House
When: Through November 4
Where: 320 Temple Avenue West, Newnan
Cost: Starting at $15
Details: Rated as one of the Top 10 Scariest Haunted Houses by USA Today, this attraction is so intense that it requires you sign a a “sacrifice waiver” before entering. From a zombie apocalypse experience that lets you kill the undead with laser guns to “Clown Town,” this attraction is not for the faint of heart.
Atlanta Horror Film Festival
When: October 19 to 22
Where: Synchronicity Theatre
Cost: $10 to $60
Details: Independent filmmakers celebrate the horror genre by showcasing their best works. Organized by block, each section has a different theme to play on your worst fears—then vote on your favorite to help choose the audience’s choice award.
Frightful foodie fun
Sunday Supper South
When: October 29, 5:30 to 10 p.m.
Where: Ponce City Market
Cost: From $250
Details: Preparing dishes under the theme of arachnophobia, award-winning Southern chefs will create a festive family-style meal to benefit the James Beard Foundation and nutrition education. The opening cocktail reception features local star chefs such as Kevin Gillespie, Ford Fry, and Hector Santiago.
Boos and Brews
When: October 28, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Where: Center Stage, Vinyl, The Loft
Cost: $15 to $55
Details: Grab your best costume for the 8th annual beer festival. With five different costume awards, live music, and a DJ, you can sip and dance the night away.
Party time
Day of the Dead Halloween Party
When: October 28, 8 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Where: The Roof at Ponce City Market
Cost: $35 to $50
Details: Grab a date or your squad for a Mexican-inspired fiesta featuring costumed stilt walkers, flamenco dancers, and a lot of tequila. Guests can enjoy Skyline Park’s mini golf and carnival games, along with spooky menu specials such as jalapeno sangria served in blood bags.
Saint & Sinner’s Ball
When: October 28, 7 p.m.
Where: Park Tavern
Cost: $20 advance, $30 day of show
Details: The annual Saints & Sinners Ball, hosted by 105.7, features performances by rockers the Struts and Mondo Cozmo. Get your groove on, bring your best costume, and vie for the $1,000 grand prize.
Mummies & Mixers
When: October 26, 6 p.m.
Where: Michael C. Carlos Museum
Cost: $40
Details: Sip specialty cocktails from the Mercury’s Julian Goglia and dance with the undead at this monster-themed mixer. Special tours of the award-winning Ancient Egyptian galleries will have you up close and personal with the museum’s 10 mummies.
For your furry friends
Costumes on the Woof
When: October 26, 6 p.m.
Where: Loews Atlanta Hotel
Cost: $25 in advance, $30 door
Details: Start off Howl-o-ween weekend with this annual rooftop benefit for LifeLine Animal Project. The event boasts a dog costume contest judged by celebrity dog whisper Victoria Stillwell, complimentary cocktails, a photo booth, and a silent auction.
Freak Me-Owt Halloween Party
When: October 27, 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Where: Java Cats Café
Cost: $20
Details: Head to Atlanta’s new cat cafe for dancing, Halloween treats, beer, and, what you really came for—costumed kitties.
